Magnetic toroidal core winding machine



Jam-21, 1958 A. AVENl I MAGNETIC TOROIDAL CORE WINDING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1956 iiiiiliiiii ifiiiiifi.

HIIHIH llll Hill 3 Anna/6y United States Patent Q MAGNETIC TOROIDAL CORE WINDING MACHINE Anthony Aveni, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to H ighes Aircraft Company, Culver City, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application June 1, 1956, Serial No. 588,712

7 Claims. (Cl. 242-4) The present invention relates generally to a coil winding apparatus and relates more particularly to an apparatus that is designed particularly for use in connection with the Winding of wire about a toroidal core of extremely small dimensions.

With increasing need for miniaturization of electrical and electronic devices, certain limits are approached relative to the ability of standard well known types of machinery mechanically to handle these relatively small devices. For example, in the winding of toroidal coils with wire material, it is not unusual to employ toroidal cores having a central opening in the nature of /8", or less. Accordingly, the passing of wire through the toroidal opening and about the core material becomes extremely dilficult due to the relatively fine wire that is employed, multiple handling of strands thereof and the passing of bulky quantities of wire through the opening in the toroid. When small size toroids are to be wound, limits are reached by which many types of mechanically carried bobbins may eificiently be passed through the toroidal opening, inasmuch as supporting means for many heretofore known bobbins have been relatively large. Attempts at reduction in the sizes of known bobbin supporting mechanisms have resulted in the necessity for utilizing components that are too small and of too light a construction for practical use under mass production conditions.

Another serious problem exists relative to the winding of extremely small toroid coils, this problem being that of the application of wire about the toroid in a precise manner, with one coil winding neecessarily being accurately placed in a precise location next to an adjacent coil winding.

It is accordingly one important object of the present invention to provide a novel toroidal coil winding apparatus. 4

Another 'object of the invention is to provide a novel toroidal coil winding apparatus employing a bobbin that is magnetically moved about the toroid to dispose wire thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel toroidal coil winding apparatus including means to support and guide a toroidal core with respect to wire being wound thereabout.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for circumferentially moving a toroidal core in accordance with the disposition of wire thereabout.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel toroidal coil winding apparatus having magnetically operable means for controlling movement of a wire carrying bobbin and for controlling operation of mechanism whereby laterally to dispose said toroidal core relative to a path of movement of said bobbin. I

Other and further important objects of the invention will become apparent from the disclosures of the following detailed specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the present "ice toroidal coil winding apparatus as taken substantially as indicated by line 11 Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a partially diagrammatic sectional view through the present coil winding apparatus as taken substantially as indicated by line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and on a reduced scale, partially diagrammatically showing the various components in different positions; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view partially diagrammatically showing a portion of the core rotating apparatus as taken substantially as indicated by line 44, Fig. 2.

With reference to the drawing, the present toroidal coil winding apparatus is adapted to apply wire W from a bobbin about a toroidal core C. The core C is generally made from any suitable material and may be either magnetic or nonmagnetic, in accordance with the desired application of the finished toroidal coil. The core C is supported by a plurality of frusto-conical rollers 10, 11 and 12 that are carried on a semicircular support 13 and rotatably maintained on the support by means of shafts 14 connected with the support. In order to provide means for inserting the core C within the confines of the rollers 10, 11 and 12, the support 13 has a short end portion 15 that is hinged as at 16 to the balance of the support and normally maintained in end-to-end relationship therewith I by means of a tension spring 17 connected across adjacent end portions of the support. The support 13 is positioned for lateral movement and may be carried and supported by any suitable structure as, for example, side ways of a support platform 18 that engages a lower surface of the support 13.

The support 13 has an extension 20 disposed laterally from one side thereof and into a central opening of an electromagnet 21. A core of the electromagnet 21 has an end face 22. The extension 29 carries a block 23 of relatively large mass and of a permeable material. The electromagnet 21 is maintained in a fixed position by means of a support 24 that is carried by an adjacent fixed structure 25. The extension 20 extends through the central opening in the core of the electromagnet 21 and engages a follower 26 of a compression spring 27, another end of the compression spring 27 being disposed against a fixed structure 28. Thus, it may be seen that upon energization of the electromagnet 21, the block 23 will be drawn toward the face 22 of the electromagnet whereby to move the support 13 over the surface of the ways 18 and laterally to dispose the rollers 10, 11 and 12, and the core C carried thereby, in one lateral position or another. Upon de-energization of the electromagnet 21, the spring 27 will return the support, rollers and core C, to the original position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. Lateral movement of the support 13 is limited by means of stop members 30 and 31 disposed from the fixed structure 25 and engageable with a stop arm 32 disposed laterally from the spring follower .26.

As shown primarily in Fig. 2, a pair of bobbin receiving members 33 and 34 are disposed on each side of the support 13, together with the core C and rollers 10, 11 and 12. The members 33 and 3d are also disposed on an axis of the core C, when this core is positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with a stop arm 32 in contact with the stop member 30. The members 33 and 34 have semicircular recesses 35 and 36 in facing surfaces thereof. Additionally, the member 33 is adapted to enclose a normally closed switch 37 having an operating member 38 which extends into the base of the recess 35. Each of the members 33 and 34 are provided with wire wound coils 4i) and 4l thereabout.

Energization of the coils 40 or 41 is adapted alternately to attract a bobbin 42, that may be made from any suitable permeable material. The bobbin 42 has an annular 3 V groove 43 thereabout in which a quantity of the wire W is disposed. The bobbin 42 is of .a diameter slightly smaller of the inner diameter of the' toroidal core. C, whereby easily to permit passage of thebobbin through the core opening. In order to rotate the toroidal core C as the wire W is earned thereabout; as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the shaft 14 supporting the rolier extends below the lower'surface of the support 13 and has a ratchet wheel 44 carried thereon. The teeth of the ratchet wheel 44 are adapted for cooperation with a pawl 45 that is pivotally supported on an adjacent fixed structure 46 and biased toward con tact with the ratchet wheel teeth by means of a compres- S1011 spring 47. Thus, upon lateral reciprocal movement of the support 13, the ratchet wheel 44 will be rotated mthe direction of the arrow 48, in Figs. 1 and 4, whereby also to rotate the roller 10 and drive the core C in the direction of the arrow 50. i

In order to synchronize and coordinate operation of the present winding mechanism, a suitable electrical circult is provided. The circuit includes a source of electrical energy, such as a battery 60 that is connected by way of leads 61, 62, 63 and 64 to an electric motor 65. Lead 61 is provided with a suitable master switch 66 therein. The motor 65 is adapted to drive a cam 67 whlch operates a double pole switch 68. The switch 68 is connected to the lead 63 and alternately. interconnects the lead 63 with a pair of leads 70 and 71. The lead 70 extends to one side of the coil 41, the other side of the coil 41 being connected by a lead 72 to the lead 61.

The lead 71 is connected to one side ofthe coil 40, the other side of this coil being connected to lead 61 by way of a lead 73. The lead 71 is also connected by way of a lead 74 to one side of the electromagnet 21, the other side of the electromagnet 21 being connected by way of the lead 75 through the switch 37 and from the switch 37 to the lead 73 by way of a lead 76.

In operation, the motor 65 is coupled with the cam 67 in such a manner as to provide timed sequential energization of the coils 4i) and 41, with the coil of the electromagnet 21 being energized simultaneously with the coil 40. When the electromagnet 21 is energized, the components of the support and toroidal core will be in the position as shown in Fig. 3. At this time, the coil 40 1s also energized whereby to attract the bobbin 42 toward the member 33 for disposition of the bobbin in the semicircular recess 35. It is to be noted that the bobbin 42 passes the core C about an outer surface thereof when moving from the member 34 to the member 33. When the bobbin 42 is positioned in the recess 35, the switch operating member 38 will be contacted whereby to open the switch 37 and de-energize the electromagnet 21. The timed sequence of the cam 67 is such as to de-energize the coil 40, shortly after de-energization of the electromagnet 21, and to re-energize the coil 41 whereby to attract the bobbin toward the member 34 and the recess 36 therein. One cycle is then completed to dispose one coil winding about the core C. This cyclic operation is then continued with the core being rotated in the direction of the arrow 50, as the windings of the wire W are disposed thereabout, whereby to complete the winding about the core and establish the desire toroidal coil.

Having thus described the invention and the present embodiment thereof, it is desired to emphasize the fact that many modifications may be resorted to in a manner limited only to a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

LA toroidal coil Winding apparatus comprising, in combination: support means for a toroidal core; a wire carrying bobbin of permeable material; dual electromagnetic means positioned in spaced relationship with each other and on a common axis; electromagnetic means connec't'ed "with said support means for laterally displacing said support means and said core relative to said axis. of said dual electromagnetic means; and sequential control means for controlling operation of said electromagnetic means whereby to move said bobbin alternately through a central aperture of said core and past an outer periphery thereof and wind said wire about said core.

2. A toroidal coil winding apparatus comprising, in combination: support means for a toroidal core; a wire carrying bobbin of permeable material; dual electromag-, netic means positioned in spaced relationship with each other and on a common axis; electromagnetic means connected with said support means for laterally displacing said support means and said core relative to said axis of.

said dual electromagnetic means; means for rotating said core about an axis thereof; and sequential control means for controlling operation of said electromagnetic means whereby to move said bobbin alternately through a central aperture of said core and past an outer periphery thereof and wind said wire about said core.

3. A toroidal coil winding apparatus comprising, in

combination: support means for a toroidal core; a" wire} carrying bobbin of permeable material; dual 'electror'iit'l'gnetic means positioned in spaced relationship with each other and on a common axis; electromagnetic means co'ii-. nected with said support means for laterally displacing said support means and said core relative to said of said dual electromagnetic means; means for biasing said support in a lateral direction opposite from direction of movement thereof by said last mentioned electromagnetic means; and sequential control meansfor' controlling operation of said electromagnetic means whereby 'tomove said bobbin alternately through a central aperture of said core and past an outer periphery thereof and wind said:

wire about said core.

4. A toroidal coil winding apparatus comprising, in

combination: support means for a toroidal core; a wire carrying bobbin of-permeable material; dual electromagnetic means positioned in spaced relationship with each other and on a common axis; electromagnetic means con nected with said support means for laterally displacing.

combination: support means for a toroidal core; a spheri cal wire carrying bobbin of permeable material; dual electromagnetic. means each having a bobbin receiving rev-1 cess and positioned in spaced relationship with each other and on a common axis; electromagnetic means connected with said support means for laterally displacing said support means and said core relative to said axis of said' dual electromagnetic means; means for rotating said core about an axis thereof; means for biasing said support ma lat eral direction opposite from direction of movement there.

of by said last mentioned electromagnetic meanspm'eans to limit said lateral movement of said support means;

and sequential control means for controlling operation of said electromagnetic means whereby-to move said bobbin alternately through a central aperture ofsaidcore and past an outer periphery thereof and wind said wire about said core. 7

6. A toroidal coil winding apparatus comprising, in combination: a support member; a plurality of rollers carried by said support member, said rollers being adaptedrotatably to receive and support a toroidal core; acwire' carrying bobbin of permeable material-;-a pair of electromagnets positioned on a common axis on each side of said" pore; a bobbin receiving recess in each'of said electromagnets; a support displacing electromagnet, a portion of said support being disposed through said displacing electromagnet whereby laterally to move said support upon energization thereof; a spring disposed between said portion of said support and a fixed structure, whereby to bias said support in a direction opposite from said movement thereof by said displacing electromaguet; ratchet means cooperable with one of said rollers for rotating said core in said rollers at each lateral displacement thereof; and electrical interconnections between said electromagnets for controlling sequential operation thereof whereby to pass said bobbin alternately through a central aperture of said core and past an outer periphery thereof, thereby to wind said wire from said bobbin about said core.

7. A toroidal coil winding apparatus comprising, in combination: a support member; a plurality of rollers carried by said support member, said rollers being adapted rotatably to receive and support a toroidal core; a spherical wire carrying bobbin of permeable material; a pair of electromagnets positioned in spaced relationship on a common axis and facing each other on each side of said core;

a semicircular bobbin receiving recess in each of said electromagnets; a support displacing electromagnet, a portion of said support being disposed through said displacing electromagnet whereby laterally to move said support upon energization thereof; a compression spring disposed between said portion of said support and a fixed structure, whereby to bias said support in a direction opposite from said movement thereof by said displacing electromagnet; ratchet means cooperable with one of said rollers for rotating said core in said rollers at each lateral displacement thereof; and electrical interconnections between said electromagnets for controlling sequential operation thereof whereby to pass said bobbin alternately through a central aperture of said core and past an outer periphery thereof, thereby to wind said wire from said bobbin about said core.

Rogers Oct. 25, 1955 Bugg Aug. 7, 1956 

